"I have been listening to Army Town Madrigal and enjoying it greatly. I won't choose favorites. Every time I try to do that, I change my mind halfway through the list. I admire the whole thing--even the poetry, about which I am always schoolmarmish picky. Thank you!" --Fred Chappell (Poet Laureate of NC, 1997-2002)

Falling leaves, NC politics, Michael Parker review, Grammy ballot

Hi everybody,

As the leaves are changing and swirling to the ground here in N.C. in November, I’m feeling like a road trip to the mountains after being battered by TV political ads and phone calls from strangers for weeks and weeks. Reading Herbie Hancock’s new memoir “Possibilities” and taking long walks in the neighborhood with Alex and his 2 dogs. My old friend, Michael Parker, the novelist and teacher in UNC-Gs MFA creative writing program weighed in with a few words about my current CD, Soft Soap Purrings(see below). I was happy to learn from Jason Richmond(co-producer) that the CD made it to the Grammy Ballot this year. Of course that’s a long ways from a final nomination but still it’s nice. After 23 recordings, this is my first time on the Grammy ballot. Working on a few things for the rest of this year and next including some shows with David Childers and Scott Sawyer. We had a good experience playing at Scuppernong Books and hope to do more across the region. Hope to play more shows with Scott and others similar to the Steve Forbert show we did at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro or the Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba show or the Scuppernong show; performances for good audiences that are centered on the music listening experience. All in all there’s a lot to be grateful for and I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. See you sometime soon!

Best,

Bruce Piephoff

With “Soft Soap Purrings,” Bruce Piephoff once again proves his ability to defy category. These songs range from the jazz-inflected jams of Troubadour-era J.J.Cale to the plaintive twang of Doug Paisley and The Everybodyfields. As literate and erudite as these songs are, they always prove that, as Keith Richards said, Rock and Roll is music “for the neck downward.” Lament and boogie, elegy and woogie: Bruce, once again, has written a stellar collection of thought-provoking songs you can’t help but toe the floor in time to.

Michael Parker, novelist

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About Bruce Piephoff

“Bruce Piephoff is a delightful poet and musician with a talent for composing poetry of fine clarity and immediate appeal; his art is cheerful and open and he has a real feeling for his subject matter. He is of admirable personal character and has been courageous in pursuit of his genuine vision.” – Fred Chappell (Poet Laureate of North Carolina; 1997-2002)
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